Judges of all three courts serve for eight years after their appointment, at which time they face renomination by the governor and approval by the assembly. Connecticut is relatively unique in that appointees' initial terms are no shorter than their subsequent ones.[1]

Selection of the chief judge or justice

Connecticut Supreme Court: Like any other justice, the chief justice is appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature; however, the governor may nominate an associate justice to serve as chief without involving the judicial nominating commission. Justices appointed this way will serve out the remainder of their predecessor's term rather than a full eight years, which is the typical term length of the chief justice.

Connecticut Appellate Court: The chief judge of the appellate court is selected by the chief justice of the supreme court. The appellate chief serves in that capacity until he or she steps down from the office.[3]

Connecticut Superior Court: The chief judge of the superior court is chosen by the chief court administrator to serve for as long as the administrator sees fit.[1]

Vacancies

If a midterm vacancy occurs on one of the three courts, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list with legislative approval. The new appointee serves an eight-year term.[1]

Probate court

Judges of the Connecticut Probate Courts are the only judges in the state to be chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms that begin on the Wednesday after the first Monday in January following their election. At the end of their terms, judges must compete in a contested re-election if they wish to retain their seat.[2][4][5] For more information on these elections, visit the Connecticut judicial elections page.

Qualifications

Vacancies

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the probate court, a special election is held to fill the seat.[6][7]

Judicial Selection Commission

Connecticut's Judicial Selection Commission serves to screen and recommend judicial candidates to the governor for appointment to the superior, appellate and supreme courts. The twelve-person committee is comprised of six lawyers (appointed by the governor) and six non-lawyers (appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the majority leaders of the house and senate and the minority leaders of the house and senate).[8]

Commission members serve for three years and cannot simultaneously hold any statewide office.[9]

Mandatory retirement

All judges in the state face mandatory retirement when they reach the age of 70. However, after reaching 70, a justice or judge may continue to serve as a judge trial referee (also known as a state referee) for the rest of his or her life. However, judges must be renominated and reappointed to serve in this capacity, and they must continue to meet certain conditions.[10]

A Connecticut judge's pension equals two-thirds of their salary if they work until age 70. Judges must retire by the age of 70, but there is no requirement on how long they must work before they are eligible for retirement. A judge who serves for three years and then retires receives the same pension as a judge who works for twenty years prior to retirement.[11]

Retired judges are allowed to collect their pension, in addition to a per diem amount for each day they serve as a judge trial referee. In addition, like all judges in Connecticut, retired judges are also reimbursed mileage for the costs they incur to commute to and from the court.[11]

History

Judicial selection methods in Connecticut have undergone significant changes in the last 200 years. Below is a timeline noting the various stages, from the most recent to the earliest.

1965: A new constitution was drafted by the constitutional convention, dictating that supreme court and superior court judges are to be nominated by the governor and appointed by the general assembly to eight-year terms.

1880: Established that all judges are to be nominated by the governor and appointed by the general assembly to eight-year terms.

1876: The term length of district court judges was changed from one year to four years.

1856: The tenure of superior court judges was changed from "good behavior" to terms of eight years.

1818: Established that all judges are to be appointed by the general assembly. Supreme court and superior court judges are to be appointed for life, while all other judges are appointed annually.

1784: Established that all judges are to be elected by the general assembly, with tenure depending on the discretion of each general assembly.[12]

Selection of federal judges

The district courts are served by Article III federal judges who are appointed for life, during "good behavior." They are usually first recommended by senators (or members of the House, occasionally). The President of the United States of America nominates judges, who must then be confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution.[13]